Telegram-herald., 1887-09-28
THE HEBREWS FAST
cElEsaATloN OF AToNgHeNT DAY
xhs serste- rk~s Has usaxvea ths Sac
riHes Cpoa tAs AEsisnt Atlsx
kassl ksssaa4is ,sFnsa
Lsst kssAs2s

A<st EsS43A&
Wherever the saa faded fora xght en-
this biz foand world last evening. a. thst
hour BEGAN the Day Of Atonsmeus for The
Hebrews. The religion Of the sersitic race
has suffered somewhat BY differences Ia
cocgrins snd svea here il Grand Rapids we
have the oF,hodox Hebrews and the liseral
Hebrews. The latter afe Known as ths
congregation Emmanuel. ana they have
tine synagogus ~ the corner OF Fountain
and Rznson-sts. The Orthodox Hebrews
meet IN ball on the West Side. The
latter pray with their hats on and
object 10 Instrumental alusic ia their syna-
gCg Qes ard sill await the coming of tie
Messiah. whom the Christian world be
leves came nssrly so years ago ia the
person Of Jesus Christ. The congregation
Emmanuel Is OF the Liberal Hebrew church
aud believe Ia the doing OF good 10 man
kind. The latter Is a growing denOmins-
uou ia our midst and exulls ia 4 cultured
and eloquent Rabbi, the Rev. \. ROssnau.
Ine At0nemeni Day services when have
taken the place Of the burnt offerings and
blood sacrifices on the ancient sltars, began
a. the synagogue last evening al o'clock.
After the impressive ritualistic services,
Rabbi kosenau preached the following elo.
quent sermon:
Imagine yourselves. my friends, removed
from tnis house OF God for a few minutes
Suppose yourselves To be seated in natures
splendid halls. the blue canopy your only
protection. A long and wide field il is into
which you have come. IL is a delightful
Summer morning. the air is agreeably
warm and greatly refreshing. The earth
Is attlred IA her garment Of green. The
dewdrops upon every blade OF grass glisten
! and sparkle lie the clsarest diamonds
when the rays OK the sun shine upon them.
Here and there We behold small flowers
giving charms TO the scene. Beautiful
howers they are-howers that fill the atmos-
phere with their sweet odor and make of it
a sea of perfume. At a distance We see a
high towering tree. Splendid 90 its leaves
look, II seems as though II were rejoicing
because OF its foliage. Above Us are flying
sweet singing birds, who entertain US With
their music and IN their melodies seem To
speak of the goodness and kindness of the
Creator. Whist a grand spectacle What a
splendid sight What a beautiful dress
Nature has chosen for nerselil IL surpasscs
the choice of man. Where is the painter
who could commit this whole scene TO the
canvas Where Is the poet wb could give
an account OF this beautiful PICTURE? No
where are they To be found. The hand of
| the artist is not skillful enough. There we
| could abide forever; never would lonesome
ness overtake Us. Nature would be
our COMPANION. The world COM
muDe with us as friend does
with a friend-she would teach us as the
instructor his pupil. Never would we feel
| the desire OF leaving such beautiful spot.
| Contented and happy We would be, blessed
/ by the Almighty Ne would feel ourselves.
| And now. my friends, let US depart from
| this place and absent ourselves for six long
months. Then let US return 10 it once
more. A scene different from the former
| il presents TO US. IL is disagreeable day
| IN December; the air is cod aud chilly.
| Tumultuously raging tempests blow in all
directions a bowling they cause as if of
| wild beasts. The earth is clothed in her
| dress OF winter; where once was grass we
| now have snow. The leaves on the tree
/ have fallen, the trunk alone rernains. Its
branches hang downward, as though they
| were bewailing their fate; as though they
| were mourning the loss OF 0ffsprings. The
flowers which were once admired are no
more. (Dispelled is the sweet scent, that
once was.) Tie birds in whose music we
| delighted are gone. Sad looks everything
| quiet is all. Not the minutest sound is
| audible. IL seems as though the whole
world had died out. Gone is everything
which pleased Us; gone. are grass, MOWERS
and birds. Nature has put on an unattrac
tive apparel. Nothing bespeak. God 3
goodness and grace. The frost has done il
| all: ii has destroyed and deprived the earth
OF all its beauty. Who of US could be con-
tented there? Who could wish TO make
this his everlasting home? Who would not
be driven 10 the brink OF despair at such a
place2 Everything seems strange As
tonished we are at the sudden change, sur
prised AZ the difference in appearance. And
when we ask the reason for all this. when
we wonder why this is s0l we receive an
answer from Solomon the Wise, who in the
book OF Ecclesiasies, says, Vanity of vani-
ties. all is vanity.
Friends; wise men utter words of sublime
meaning. Profound thinkers show their
sagacity in the remarks thev make. Each
word Of theirs is precious stone each sen.
tence a tressnre-bouse in itself. The lessons
they teach US are always the best adsics
they give, ever wholesome Solomon. the
King Of Israel. is not an exception TO this
rule. His WORKS. the books of Proverbs
and Ecclesiates, Immediately betrzy the
great depth of minds. His productions
are incompatible. He is well deservinc
| of the name, Solomon, the Wise. as
| nowhere yet has his equal been found
| All glory. al thanks TO him for having lef
for posterity such valuable works. One oil
| the principle sentiments which emanated
| from dis lips IS our text. Vanity of vaui.
| ties. all il vanity. What grand teaching
| What nssgniboent thought A statement
truev than this has never been made. Be
hold y0nder grssshOpper leapiag from
blade to blade. Now it Is happy and gay,
and in few moments its life i ovtr. No
| fice Wonder a butterfly basking in the genial
sunshine. What = small and beautiful
| creature. IL flies about from place TO place
| nov resting npon rose and then upon A
lily. Is il aware that itcsn live but one dayl
| Listen 20 yonder bird uhistling the mos:
inspiring airs. Does it think OF the com
| mon danger awaiting everything earthly.
Alss, il does not. It is cognizsnt Of tbs
| present only. but the end Of al sssh re-
| mains unknown TO IT, Now IL flies and
-snes. ia a few moments il may fall
breathiess 70 the ground.
Here We pass grand eiifce. We stop
ard admire its size and grand architecture
! II = made 0f the finest stones Years
years Is took 70 erect IL Millions and mil
lions we're expended 20 prodncs ;t. An
ornament II = % the place in which n 4,
stands Gre has broken ouf. TIE build.
! ing stands il flames burns 70 the bottom.
and instead Of the imposing stFuctars W
behold Al immense heap q ashes There
an immense engine comes rushing
| slrrr. We wonder AZ i5s construction
an machinery. Propelled II e 5v steam
sns the speed st which if travels - incredi-
de r crosses bridge tie briiss breaks
the arsnd WoTk sinks the ooiecs of our sd
/ rsirsffon : l0st forever. When ve witness
ss-eh incidents and behold everything thus
r,iaz hesdlour ~ destruction vheu ws So
tniass destroyed that have cost man grsal
/ .ah5r sno pam. ws mast certainly exei2i n
vsfh Rohelas. Every tsing = f1ale, a. cgr
exertions are useless. znigy Of TAnitiss.
a. IS vanity
Would that Al rser were wiling 60 END